Apparatus for hardening metals.



C. W. SPDNSEL. APPARATUS FOR HARDENING METALS.

(Application filed Aug. 13. 1898.)

No. 643,278. Patented Feb. I3, I900.

(No Model.)

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No. 643,278. Patented I-eb. l3, I900 v 0. W. SPONSEL.

APPARATUS FOR 'HABDENING METALS.

(Application filed Aug. 13, 1898.) v (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 minessesz In?) ento'v":

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' NlTE PATENT CHARLES W. SPONSEL, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO WILLIAM A. LORENZ, OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR HARDENING METALS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,278, dated February 13, 1900.

Application filed August 13,1898.

T aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES W. SPoNsnL, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatu's for Hardening Metals, of Which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved ap- I0 paratus for hardening metals, one object sought being to provide a compact, convenient, and effective apparatus to force cooling liquid against the heated surface of the object to be hardened and to withdraw therefrom the liquid which is heated by the contact, so as to conduct away the heat of the metal as rapidly and uniformly as possible.

A further object of the invention is to support the articles to be hardened in asuitable and most advantageous relation to the currents of water, so that the chilling action may be uniform and constant.

In order that the relation of this invention to the prior art may be more readily compre- 2 5 hended, brief mention will be made of the methods already known: first, by projecting the cooling liquid in jets against the unsubmerged surface of the metal, the liquid flowing over the surface away from the respective points or surfaces of impact; second, by flowing the cooling liquid continuously along the surface of the metal, and, third, by projecting two oppositely-disposed currents, either submerged or unsubmerged, against 3 5 the opposite sides of the piece to be hardened, each current upon striking the metal flowing in all directions away from the point or surface of impact.

In other forms of hardening apparatus in use the cooling liquid is agitated by paddles, or jets are used to cause a general circulation of the cooling liquid in the tank without ref erence to any intelligible system. In other cases the liquid is forced through a nozzle in 5 the bottom of a barrel, thereby establishing a current, and into this current the heated article is dipped. The still more common practioe is to dip the heated article into a tank of quiescent liquid and move it rapidly about therein.

It is well known that the contact of liquid Serial No. 688,5 26. (N0 model.)

with a heated metallic surface causes the in stant formation of a layer of steam, which in a great degree insulates or protects the surface of the metal from the cooling action of the liquid, and it is necessary to wash or force away this layer of steam as rapidly as it forms and uniformly over the surface of the metal in order to allow the cooling action of the liquid to have prompt, continuous, and uniform access thereto. While in some of the above-mentioned known processes some of the steam may be partly removed by the action of the liquid wherever its pressure may be the greatest, it is found that all of them are liable to leave some portions of the surface protected by the steam, with the result that the surfaces thus protected will be softer than those which are continuously in contact with the cool liquid during the chilling operation. These soft spots might not materially lessen the utility of objects like armorplates, for example; but their existence in tools like dies, reamers, taps, cutters, or in some kinds of rolls would seriously lessen both the degree and the term of efficiency of such articles.

The present improved apparatus operates to force the cooling liquid under pressure in aseries of submerged sheet-currents against the heated surface of the metal to be hardened and directs the flow of the mingled steam and heated liquid laterally away from the surface of the metal between the inwardly-forced cold currents.

The apparatus comprises a tank and a series of current-emitting pipes or chambers suspended therein having inwardly-facing primary current emission outlets, through which the liquid is forced against the metal, and having also secondary-current-emission outlets, through which the liquid is forced in a direction to induce a flow of the heated liquid outwardly between the primary or inward currents. The primary-current chambers are 5 preferably set so as to direct the flow of the liquid at an angle against the heated metal, having small intervals between them for the, lateral escape of the heated liquid, the outward flow of which is aided or induced by the I00 influence of the secondary currents.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a plan view of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a front view of the same in section, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view in section, taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is an enlarged front view in section, taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a plan View, in still further enlarged scale in section, taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a plan view of a modified arrangement of the apparatus.

The apparatus is suspended by means of its distributing-head 9 upon the cross-braces 10 and 11, attached to the tank 12. The head 9 is formed with a central opening 13, around which extends a somewhat irregular annular chamber 14, having a-dividing-piece 15 for directing the inflowing liquid in opposite directions for distribution around the annular chamber. The current emitting pipes or chambers 16 are each provided with a primary-current outlet 18 and with secondarycurrent outlets 19. The pipes are screwed into the head at 17, and their lower ends are closed by means of the screw-caps 20. Resting upon these caps and encircling the series of current-chambers 16 is the annular deflectin g-plate 22, which is provided with a central aperture 23 for receiving the fixture or other device for supporting-and centering the articles to be hardened. In Figs. 3 and 4 the apparatus is shown to'be fitted with a supporting-plate 24, having a conical recess for centering and supporting a mandrel 26, the upper end of which is centered with the apparatus by means of the flange 27. In this illustration of the use of the apparatus the articles to be hardened are shown as a series of rings 28, which are cut into segments and are clamped together upon the mandrel by means of collars and a key.

The current-emitting pipes or chambers 16 may be turned in their bearings in the distributing-head 9, so as to alter to any desired extent the angle of the emitted currents, the threads being fitted tightly enough to hold the pipe in the position to which it may be adjusted, or the latter may be secured in their desired positions by check-nuts or set-screws in any of several well-known ways. The intervals between these pipes are made wide enough for the proper exit of the liquid between them. Inasmuch as the space encompassed by the series of pipes is practically closed at its lower end by the deflector-plate 22 and at its upper end by the head 9 and the flange 27, the liquid injected into that space through the primary-current outlets 18 cannot escape endwise, but finds its only outlet at the intervals between the pipes 16, between which it therefore flows freely, thus rapidly carrying the heated liquid laterally away from the metal. This disposition of the primary currents enables them to cut or scour the steam away from the surface of the article to be hardened, thus preventing the formation of steam-pockets, and thereby rapidly and uniformly cooling the article.

The preferred means for conveying and forcing the cooling liquid to the apparatus, as shown in the drawings, consists of aforcepump 30, provided with a pulley 31, which is driven by means of a belt from any convenient shaft. The inlet or suction chamber of this pump is connected with the bottom of the tank by means of the pipe 32, while the outlet or discharge chamber of the pump is connected with the inlet-opening 33 of the distributing-head 9 of the apparatus by means of the pipes 34 and 35. These pipes may, if desired, be also connected, by means of the pipe 36, with a reservoiror series of reservoirs (not herein shown) for storing one or more special kinds of cooling liquid, in which case by closing the valve 37 between the pump and the apparatus and opening the valve or valves 38, connecting with the desired reservoir, any of these special liquids may after use be pumped from the tank into its appropriate reservoir and there preserved until it is again required, when by opening its valve 38 and the valve 37 it is allowed to flow into the tank.

An overflow-pipe 40 is preferably connected with the upper part of the tank, so as to'maintain the desired level of the liquid, as indicated by the dot-and-dash line 41. An emptying-pipe 42, provided with a valve 43,may also be employed for emptying the tank, and this pipe, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, may be connected with the overflow-pipe 40.

The valve 43 is closed, and the valves 37 and 38 are opened, thereby admitting the liquid to the tank 12, filling it preferably to about the level of the line 41, ora little higher than the tops of the primary-current outlets 18. In employing a pump or equivalent means for repeatedly circulating the liquid the valve 38 should be closed. Upon starting the pump the liquid is withdrawn from the bottom of the tank through the pipe 32 and is forced through the pipes 34 and 35 into the distributinghead 9, thence into the series of pipes or current-chambers 16, and through the emission-outlets 18 and 19, as indicated by the arrows in the figures. The articles to be hardened after being raised to the proper degree of heat are transferred immediately from the furnace to the apparatus through the opening 13, where, if of suitable form, it may be supported in the centering cone 24. The liquid of the primary currents 45, deflected and heated by its contact with the surface of the metal, flows laterally through the intervals between the pipes 16, since the deflecting-plate 22, the head 9, and the flange 27 prevent its downward or upward escape and by further reason of the operation of the secondary currents 48, which also aid or induce this desired outward flow of the heated liquid.

The primary-current outlets 18 in the pipes 16 should be made in length substantially equal to that of the longest article to be hardened and of a width adapted to emit a volume of liquid suited to the size of those articles. The Secondary outlets 19 are preferably made narrow, so that the combined area of the two outlets 19 is less than the area of the outlet 18. These outlets maybe continuous, as 18, or interrupted, as 19. The outlets 18 should not, however, be interrupted sufficiently to prevent the delivery of a substantially unbroken sheet current against the metal to be hardened.

The general directions of flow of the various currents are best represented in Fig. 5 by means of arrows. The current-outlets 18 are preferably placed so as to direct the sheetcurrents at an angle against the metal, as shown by the line 45, which represents the primary current. Upon striking the metal the current is deflected, as at 46. Part of this current will necessarily intermingle with the next current 45; but the larger portion of the heated liquid when deflected from the metal flows off in the direction shown at 47 between the two currents 45. This outward flow is aided by the two secondary currents 4.8 48, which combine and form an outwardflowing resultant current 49, thus thoroughly intermingling the liquid in the tank 12 at the outer part thereof, whence it flows downward and is drawn through the suction-pipe 32 to the pump and is thus circulated repeatedly through the apparatus.

The forced sheet-currents 45 should be substantially submerged to give the best results, because their tendency then is to retain their respective levels and flow away laterally. If the currents 45 were not submerged, they would upon striking the article flow downwardly to the deflecting-plate, and the lower part of the article would receive the hot liquid, thus varying the cooling effect. This submerging of the sheet-currents is preferably accomplished by the employment of a tank 12, in which the discharged liquid remains at a level above that of the upper ends of the current-emitting chambers, so that the sheetcurrents are submerged in a surrounding body of the liquid. Substantially the same effect may be produced by making the primary currents large enough in volume to fill the exit intervals between the pipes 16 with the outfiowing currents, thus keeping the primary currents 45 substantially submerged without employing a tank for that purpose and still keeping within the intent and scope of the present invention.

Any available means for forcing the liquid through the apparatus may be employed in place of the pump 30. When the apparatus is used in a locality having a supply of water under a suitable head, the apparatus maybe connected with that supply, allowing it to run to waste through the overflow-pipe 40, thereby dispensing with the pump.

Where the articles to be hardened are cylindrical or symmetrical in form, it will be found convenient to arrange them side by side upon a mandrel or equivalent device, as herein shown. For articles having special or peculiar shapes special fixtures may beprovided adapted to rest in the supporting-plate 24 or in its aperture 23, the upper end of the fixture being guided or centered by the opening 13 in the head 9.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6 the article to be hardened is shown as a rectangular piece 51, and the current-emitting pipes 52 are arranged in corresponding rectangular form encompassing the piece and emit the primary currents 53 thereagainst, while the secondary currents 54 induce an outward flow, all mingling in the resultant current 55.

By the use of this apparatus a lower degree of heat or a lower grade of steel, or both, may be made to serve purposes ordinarily requiring the employment of the better grades of steel and a comparatively high degree of heat if hardened by the ordinary methods.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a hardening apparatus, in combination with means for forcing a supply of liquid, a distributing-head connected with the liquidforcing means, a series of current-emitting chambers connected with the head, provided with longitudinal current-emitting outlets, and having intervals between the chambers for the exit of the liquid, with means for closing the ends of the space encompassed by the chambers, so as to deflect the discharging liquid to the intervals between the chambers.

2. In a hardening apparatus, a series of ourrent-emitting chambers, arranged to encompass a space for receiving the articles to be hardened, and having intervals between them for the discharge of the cooling liquid, with deflecting means for closing the ends of the space encompassed by the chambers,whereby the liquid is discharged only at the intervals between the chambers.

3. In a hardening apparatus, aseries of ourrent-emitting chambers, arranged to encompass a space for receiving the articles to be hardened, and having intervals between them for the discharge of the cooling liquid, a deflector-plate for closing the lower end of the space encompassed by the chambers, and provided with a conical recess for centering the articles to be hardened with the current-emitting chambers.

Signed by me at Hartford, Connecticut, this 11th day of August, 1898.

CHARLES W. SPONSEL.

Witnesses:

JENNIE NELLIS, W. H. HONISS. 

